Auxiliary drive mounted to reel mower cutting unit

ABSTRACT

An auxiliary drive mounted to a reel mower cutting unit includes an auxiliary drive input shaft engageable to a cutting reel shaft of the reel mower cutting unit. The auxiliary drive transmits rotational power to an attachment rotatably mounted to the reel mower cutting unit. The auxiliary drive has a housing with a flange positionable on a boss concentric with the cutting reel shaft. A plurality of holes extend through the flange, and a circumferential groove extends at least partially around the boss. A retaining clip is inserted through the holes in the flange and into the circumferential groove to axially retain the auxiliary drive housing to the boss while allowing the auxiliary drive housing to pivot on the cutting reel shaft.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to auxiliary drives mounted to reelmower cutting units, and specifically to auxiliary drives forattachments such as a conditioner or roller power brush rotatablymounted on a reel mower cutting unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Grass mowing machines with reel mower cutting units are used on golfcourses and other turf areas that require grass to be cut veryaccurately. The cutting units are typically rolled across the surface ofthe ground by a powered vehicle. The cutting units include a generallycylindrical reel with a plurality of blades that rotate in closeproximity to a stationary bedknife fixed with the frame of the cuttingunit. Grass is cut by a shearing action between the bedknife and therotation blades of the reel.

Attachments on reel mower cutting units may be used to improve thequality of the cut, performance, and other turf grooming features. Theattachments, such as conditioners, roller power brushes, or turfgrooming brushes, may be rotated by auxiliary drives mounted to the reelmower cutting unit and powered by the shaft of the cutting reel. Anauxiliary drive may transmit rotational power from the cutting reelshaft to the attachment through a set of gears or a belt on a pair ofsprockets or pulleys.

A conditioner, for example, is an attachment used for finer grooming ofturf areas such as putting greens, by reducing thatch, slicing stolons,controlling grain, and deflecting material away from the reel andbedknife. A conditioner may stand the grass up for an even, clean cutand truer putting green surface. A typical conditioner includes a numberof (for example, 72) closely spaced vertical blades mounted on ahorizontal shaft adjacent one of the rollers. The blades may have adiameter of between about 40 and 80 mm, and preferably between about 50and 65 mm. A conditioner may be counter-rotated to the direction oftravel of the cutting unit. An auxiliary drive, sometimes referred to asa conditioner drive, transmits rotational power from the cutting reelshaft to the conditioner. For example, a conditioner drive may include aset of gears that rotate the conditioner at speeds of about 2000 rpm.

A roller power brush is an attachment used to prevent accumulation ofgrass clippings and other debris on a roller supporting a reel mowercutting unit, so that the cutting unit can maintain a consistenteffective height of cut. The brush may be rotatably mounted to thecutting unit above and adjacent the rear roller, for example. The brushmay include radially extending bristles on a brush shaft. The brush maybe rotated by an auxiliary drive opposite to the direction of travel ofthe reel mower cutting unit. For example, the auxiliary drive may be abelt drive that transmits rotational power from the cutting reel shaftto the brush through a belt on sprockets that turns the brush at adesired rotational speed.

Periodically, it is necessary to install or remove an auxiliary drivesuch as a conditioner drive or brush drive mounted to a reel mowercutting unit, especially if an attachment must be added or removed forspecific turf grooming needs or ground conditions. An auxiliary drivealso may need to be removed or reinstalled for service and repair of anattachment. However, installation or removal of a conventional auxiliarydrive on a reel mower cutting unit can be difficult and time intensive.For example, it may require opening the conditioner drive housing anddisassembling all or part of the gear or belt assembly inside. It isdesirable to shorten and simplify installation or removal of anauxiliary drive on a reel mower cutting unit, while allowing movement ofthe rotating attachment to different engagement depths or heightsettings, and while maintaining positive centering of the input andoutput shafts of the auxiliary drive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An auxiliary drive mounted to a reel mower cutting unit includes ahousing with an input shaft transmitting rotational power from the reelmower cutting unit to an output shaft. A retaining clip is insertablethrough a plurality of holes in one of the reel mower cutting unit andthe auxiliary drive housing, capturing a groove in one of the reel mowercutting unit and the auxiliary drive housing to retain the auxiliarydrive housing to the reel mower cutting unit while allowing theauxiliary drive housing to pivot on the axis of the auxiliary driveinput shaft. The invention shortens and simplifies installation orremoval of an auxiliary drive on a reel mower cutting unit, whileallowing movement of the rotating attachment to different engagementdepths or height settings, and while maintaining positive centering ofthe input and output shafts of the auxiliary drive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a reel mower cutting unit withauxiliary drives mounted to the cutting unit for a conditioner and aroller power brush according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a reel mower cutting unit withauxiliary drives mounted to the cutting unit for a conditioner and aroller power brush according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of auxiliary drives for a conditionerand a roller power brush in a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded top perspective view of a reel mowercutting unit with auxiliary drives for a conditioner and a roller powerbrush according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5A is a side view of a reel mower cutting unit with an auxiliarydrive for a conditioner mounted to the cutting unit, and the auxiliarydrive pivoted to raise the conditioner, according to a first embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 5B is a side view of a reel mower cutting unit with an auxiliarydrive for a conditioner mounted to the cutting unit, and the auxiliarydrive pivoted to lower the conditioner, according to a first embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 5C is a side view of a reel mower cutting unit with an auxiliarydrive for a conditioner mounted to the cutting unit, and the retainingclip removed, according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6A is a side view of an auxiliary drive for a roller power brushmounted to a reel mower cutting unit, with the eccentric bearing housingfor the belt drive in a first position, according to a first embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 6B is a side view of an auxiliary drive for a roller power brushmounted to a reel mower cutting unit, with the eccentric bearing housingfor the belt drive in a second position, according to a first embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 6C is a side view of an auxiliary drive for a roller power brushmounted to a reel mower cutting unit, and with the retaining clipremoved, according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of auxiliary drives for a conditionerand a roller power brush mounted to a reel mower cutting unit accordingto a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a conditioner drive outputshaft engageable to the end of a conditioner according to a firstembodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-8, reel mower cutting unit 100 hasfront and rear rollers 101, 102 that roll in contact with the ground andsupport the cutting unit during mowing operations. The reel mowercutting unit includes a generally cylindrical reel 134 having aplurality of blades on cutting reel shaft 104 to rotate about thecutting reel shaft's laterally extending horizontal axis. The cuttingreel shaft may be rotated with electric motor 135 or, alternatively, bya hydraulic motor. As the blades rotate they pass in close proximity tobedknife 137 positioned between side panels 109, 110 of the cutting unitframe. The blades and bedknife interact to cut grass with a shearingaction as the cutting unit is propelled forward. To adjust the cuttingheight, front and rear roller adjustment mechanisms 129, 130 may be usedto raise and lower the front and rear rollers.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8, two attachments are shown on reel mowercutting unit 100: conditioner 107 and roller power brush 103.Alternatively, one of the attachments may be a turf grooming brush. Eachattachment is rotated by an auxiliary drive.

In one embodiment, conditioner 107 is an attachment mounted to reelmower cutting unit 100 between left and right side panels 109, 110. Theconditioner includes a plurality of blades extending radially from ashaft having a first end 114 and second end 165. The conditioner may berotated opposite to the direction of travel of the reel mower cuttingunit, so that the counter-rotating blades can penetrate the turf surfaceand reduce thatch, grain and stolons.

In one embodiment, conditioner drive 126 includes housing 127 mounted toside panel 110 of the reel mower cutting unit. The conditioner drive isan auxiliary drive unit that transmits rotational power from cuttingreel shaft 104 to conditioner 107. The conditioner drive housingencloses a plurality of gears between conditioner drive input shaft 139and conditioner drive output shaft 140. For example, the conditionerdrive may house gears 154, 155, 156 rotatably engaged between theconditioner drive input and output shafts. Inside the conditioner drivehousing, gear 154 may be mounted to input shaft 139, which engages gear155, which engages gear 156 mounted to output shaft 140. The conditionerdrive input and output shafts may be parallel to each other.

In one embodiment, conditioner drive housing 127 is mounted to reelmower cutting unit 100 with retaining clip 144. The retaining clipallows adjusting the depth of engagement of conditioner 107 with theturf, while maintaining positive centering of conditioner drive inputand output shafts 139, 140 on cutting reel shaft 104 and conditionershaft 114 respectively. For example, the first, externally splined endof conditioner drive input shaft 139 releasably engages the internallysplined end 112 of cutting reel shaft 104, and is coaxial with the reelshaft.

In one embodiment, retaining clip 144 engages conditioner drive housing127 and boss 142 on the side panel of the reel mower. The retaining clipprevents axial separation of the conditioner drive input and outputshafts from the reel shaft and conditioner shaft, while permitting theconditioner drive housing to pivot on the reel shaft axis. The retainingclip may hold the conditioner drive housing against the side panel whileallowing the conditioner drive housing to pivot sufficiently to move tovarious different conditioner height settings. The choice of heightsettings may depend, for example, on the diameter of the conditionerblades.

In one embodiment, retaining clip 144 may be a U-shaped wire form havinga pair of preferably parallel legs. Alternatively, the retaining clipmay be one or more pins or rods that engage the conditioner drivehousing and the side panel of the reel mower cutting unit, whilepermitting the conditioner drive housing to pivot on the cutting reelaxis. If the retaining clip includes two or more parts, the parts may beparallel or non-parallel.

In one embodiment, a plurality of holes 145 are provided in flange 141of the conditioner drive housing. Each hole extends from the outerdiameter of flange 141, through the flange to the internal diameter ofthe flange, and then from the internal diameter back through to itsouter diameter. Retaining clip 144 may be inserted through the holes, sothat a portion of each retaining clip passes through the internaldiameter of the flange. Flange 141 may have an internal diameter thatfits snugly on boss 142 on side panel 110, but can pivot on the boss.When flange 141 is positioned on boss 142, retaining clip may beinserted through the holes so that the portion of the retaining clipthat passes through the flange's internal diameter captures groove 143or slot in the outer perimeter of boss 142. For example, the retainingclip may be a one-piece U-shaped wire form having a pair of legs thatare spaced apart less than the internal diameter of flange 141, so thatthe legs of the clip can enter and capture groove 143 in boss 142.

Alternatively, the holes may be provided in a boss on the side panel ofthe cutting unit, and the groove may be provided in the flange of theconditioner drive housing. A retaining clip may be inserted throughholes in the boss on the side panel of the cutting unit, and into agroove or slot in a flange portion of the conditioner drive housing. Theretaining clip may axially retain the conditioner drive input shaft tothe reel shaft, but allow the conditioner drive housing to pivot withrespect to the reel mower cutting unit for adjusting the conditioner'sdepth of engagement.

In one embodiment, an attachment, such as conditioner 107, may bequickly attached or detached from the output shaft of an auxiliarydrive, such as a conditioner drive, without opening or disassembling theauxiliary drive. The connection between the auxiliary drive output shaftand the attachment is external to the auxiliary drive.

In one embodiment, conditioner 107 has a hollow or tubular first end114. Collet 151 is inserted into the first end of the conditioner. Then,conditioner drive output shaft 140, which extends from conditioner drive126, is inserted through collet 151 into first end 114. The colletaligns output shaft 140 into the first end 114 of the conditioner.Output shaft 140 has a split end 161 that engages transverse pin 162.The first end 114 of the conditioner is externally threaded, and nut 152is threaded onto it. Nut 152 has a rim that tightens the collet radiallyagainst conditioner drive output shaft 140. To disengage conditioner 107from conditioner drive 126, nut 152 may be loosened from the first endof the conditioner. Conditioner 107 then may be removed from the reelmower cutting unit by removing the conditioner drive housing andloosening nut 164 from the second end 165 of the conditioner.

Alternatively, the conditioner drive output shaft may be hollow andexternally threaded. The first end of the conditioner may be insertedthrough a collet in the conditioner drive output shaft and tightenedwith a nut having a rim that urges the collet to grip the shaft insidethe collet. The conditioner drive output shaft is coaxially engaged tothe conditioner outside the conditioner drive housing.

In one embodiment, roller power brush 103 is an attachment mounted toreel mower cutting unit 100 above and adjacent rear roller 102. Theroller power brush includes radially extending bristles fixed to brushshaft 108. The brush may be rotated by an auxiliary drive, or beltdrive, opposite to the direction of travel of the reel mower cuttingunit, so that the brush can remove grass clippings and debris from therear roller during mowing operations.

In one embodiment, belt drive 111 is an auxiliary drive unit mounted tocutting unit 100 and/or to conditioner drive 126. The belt drivetransmits rotational power from cutting reel shaft 104 and/or inputshaft 139, to output shaft 108 which may be the brush shaft. The beltdrive may include endless belt 106 around input sprocket 105 on theinput shaft and output sprocket 122 on the output shaft. The belt driveinput sprocket may be mounted on the same input shaft 139 as theconditioner drive input shaft extending through the conditioner drive.The belt may be enclosed within belt drive housing 124 and housing cover125.

In one embodiment, belt drive housing 124 may be mounted to conditionerdrive 126 and/or reel mower cutting unit 100 with retaining clip 146.The retaining clip allows adjusting the spacing of brush 103 withrespect to rear roller 102, while maintaining positive centering of thebelt drive with input shaft 139 and brush shaft 108.

In one embodiment, retaining clip 146 engages belt drive housing 124 andboss 148 on the conditioner drive. The retaining clip prevents axialseparation of the belt drive from input shaft 139, while permitting thebelt drive housing to pivot on the input shaft or reel shaft axis. Theretaining clip may hold the belt drive housing against the conditionerdrive housing and/or cutting unit while allowing the belt drive to pivotsufficiently to move to various different brush height settings withrespect to the rear roller. The choice of height settings may depend,for example, on the condition or length of the brush bristles.

In one embodiment, retaining clip 146 may be a U-shaped wire form havinga pair of preferably parallel legs. Alternatively, the retaining clipmay be one or more pins or rods that engage the belt drive housing andconditioner drive housing or side panel of the reel mower cutting unit,while permitting the belt drive housing to pivot on the cutting reelaxis. If the retaining clip includes two or more parts, the parts may beparallel or non-parallel.

In one embodiment, a plurality of holes 147 are located in flange 163 onthe belt drive housing. Each hole extends from the outer diameter offlange 163, through the flange to an internal diameter of the flange,and then from the internal diameter back to the outer diameter. Flange163 may have an internal diameter that fits snugly on boss 148 onconditioner drive housing 127, but can pivot on the boss. When flange163 is positioned on boss 148, retaining clip may be inserted throughthe holes so that a portion of the retaining clip passes through theinternal diameter of the flange and captures groove 150 or slot in theouter perimeter of boss 148. For example, the retaining clip may be aone-piece U-shaped wire form having a pair of legs that are spaced apartless than the internal diameter of flange 163, so that the legs of theclip can enter and capture groove 150 in boss 148.

Alternatively, the holes may be provided in a boss on the side panel ofthe conditioner drive housing, and the groove may be provided in theflange of the belt drive housing. A retaining clip may be insertedthrough holes in the boss on the conditioner drive housing, and into agroove or slot in a flange portion of the belt drive housing. Theretaining clip may axially retain the belt drive to input shaft 139, butallow the belt drive housing to pivot with respect to the reel mowercutting unit for adjusting the brush's relationship to the rear roller.

In one embodiment, a belt tensioning system may be used to tighten thebelt of auxiliary belt drive 111, if the belt stretches due to wear oradverse conditions. The belt tensioning system may be used to ensureproper engagement between the belt and sprockets 105, 122 on the inputand output shafts of a belt drive.

In one embodiment, the belt tensioning system includes eccentric bearinghousing 115. The eccentric bearing housing may be mounted in opening 123in belt drive housing 124. While the eccentric bearing housing remainsmounted within opening 123 in the belt drive housing, an operator maymanually pivot the eccentric bearing housing to change its orientationand adjust the belt tension.

In one embodiment, the eccentric bearing housing has an internal bore136 that is offset at least about 5 mm from the center of the eccentricbearing housing. The bore is provided with bearings 118. The outputshaft of the auxiliary drive, which may be brush shaft 108, may beinserted into and through bore 136. Sprocket 122 is mounted to the endof output or brush shaft 108 and may be tightened with nut 121.

Pivoting the eccentric bearing housing shifts the axis of the outputshaft for the auxiliary drive, or brush shaft 108, thereby changingtension of belt 106. More specifically, pivoting the eccentric bearinghousing moves the output shaft for the auxiliary drive closer to orfurther from input shaft 139. As a result, the belt tension may bemodified to compensate for any stretching of the belt.

Additionally, in one embodiment, one or more tightening bolts 117 mayengage the outer diameter of eccentric bearing housing 115 to hold theeccentric bearing housing at a desired orientation or position. Thetightening bolts may be inserted through the belt drive housing 124 toengage a groove 119 in the outer diameter of the eccentric bearinghousing.

Having described a preferred embodiment, it will become apparent thatvarious modifications can be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

1. An auxiliary drive mounted to a reel mower cutting unit, comprising:an auxiliary drive housing with an input shaft transmitting rotationalpower from the reel mower cutting unit to an output shaft; and aretaining clip insertable through a plurality of holes in one of thereel mower cutting unit and the auxiliary drive housing, the retainingclip capturing a groove in one of the reel mower cutting unit and theauxiliary drive housing to retain the auxiliary drive housing to thereel mower cutting unit while allowing the auxiliary drive housing topivot on the axis of the auxiliary drive input shaft.
 2. The auxiliarydrive of claim 1 wherein the retaining clip is a U-shaped wire form. 3.The auxiliary drive of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary drive is aconditioner drive.
 4. The auxiliary drive of claim 1 wherein theauxiliary drive is a brush drive.
 5. The auxiliary drive of claim 1further comprising a plurality of gears in the housing.
 6. The auxiliarydrive of claim 1 further comprising a boss on one of the reel mowercutting unit and auxiliary drive housing, and wherein the groove extendscircumferentially around at least part of the boss.
 7. The auxiliarydrive of claim 6 further comprising a flange on one of the reel mowercutting unit and auxiliary drive housing that fits over the boss.
 8. Anauxiliary drive mounted to a reel mower cutting unit, comprising: anauxiliary drive input shaft engageable to a cutting reel shaft of thereel mower cutting unit and transmitting rotational power to anattachment rotatably mounted to the reel mower cutting unit; a bossconcentric with the cutting reel shaft, and a circumferential groove atleast partially around the boss; an auxiliary drive housing with aflange positionable on the boss, and a plurality of holes extendingthrough the flange; and a retaining clip insertable through the holes inthe flange and into the circumferential groove to axially retain theauxiliary drive housing to the boss while allowing the auxiliary drivehousing to pivot on the cutting reel shaft.
 9. The auxiliary drive ofclaim 8 further comprising a plurality of gears in the auxiliary drivehousing between the input shaft and an output shaft rotating theattachment.
 10. The auxiliary drive of claim 8 further comprising a beltin the auxiliary drive housing between the input shaft and an outputshaft rotating the attachment.
 11. The auxiliary drive of claim 8wherein the attachment is a conditioner having a plurality of radiallyextending blades.
 12. The auxiliary drive of claim 8 wherein theattachment is a roller power brush having a plurality of radiallyextending bristles.
 13. The auxiliary drive of claim 8 wherein the bossis on a side panel of the reel mower cutting unit.
 14. The auxiliarydrive of claim 8 wherein the boss is on another auxiliary drive housing.15. An auxiliary drive mounted to a reel mower cutting unit, comprising:a cutting reel shaft rotated by a motor and having a horizontal axis; anauxiliary drive housing positioned adjacent the reel mower cutting unitand pivotable on the axis of the cutting reel shaft; an auxiliary driveinput shaft engaged to the cutting reel shaft; and a retaining clipengageable with the auxiliary drive housing and the reel mower cuttingunit to prevent separation of the auxiliary drive housing from the reelmower cutting unit and to prevent disengagement of the auxiliary driveinput shaft from the cutting reel shaft.
 16. The auxiliary drive ofclaim 15 further comprising an auxiliary drive output shaft engageableto a rotatable attachment.
 17. The auxiliary drive of claim 15 furthercomprising a plurality of holes in the auxiliary drive housing intowhich the retaining clip is inserted to engage the reel mower cuttingunit.
 18. The auxiliary drive of claim 15 further comprising acircumferential groove in the reel mower cutting unit that is capturedby the retaining clip.
 19. The auxiliary drive of claim 15 wherein theauxiliary drive input shaft is splined to the cutting reel shaft. 20.The auxiliary drive of claim 15 wherein the retaining clip is a U-shapedwire form insertable through a parallel holes in the auxiliary drivehousing.